Car Ride
by KC Evans
Summary: AU. After flying home from a mission, a weary Kenshin suspects his new driver is actually an assassin trying to kill him.


_AN: This story was inspired by DarkenedStar's fic "Thievery". If you haven't checked it out yet, read it! I guarantee you will enjoy it and laugh a lot. Please don't forget to leave a review._

_With that said, some ideas are similar, but I hope this story is different enough for you all to enjoy without thinking it's too closely related. Despite the humor tag, __I can assure you that __it's not as funny as "Thievery". Oh well._

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Warnings: AU. Unbeta-ed. Some dark humor. Rated for some violence and a brief mention of an adult location. No Camrys were harmed in the writing of this fic.

Disclaimer: Don't own Rurouni Kenshin, no copyright infringement intended.

Note: This story is set in Japan so the driver sits on the right side of the car.

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Himura Kenshin was exhausted, having run around the last thirty-five hours on two hours of catnaps, and half that time was spent trying to stay alive to get on the plane back home. They had chased him as far as the airport but suddenly stopped their pursuit as he managed to slip inside through an 'employee only' entrance. Kenshin didn't understand what made them pull back but he decided he should just be thankful he got away so easily.

It made more sense when he finally arrived on Japanese soil. The Triad hadn't really given up, they had a backup plan in motion. So the fact that there was another assassin attempting to take his life as he finally arrived home displeased him immensely.

It was past eleven at night when he stepped out from the airport to the line of cars waiting to pick up their clients. He immediately spotted a sign with his name on it. But his driver was not the usual guy. In fact, this one was quite clearly a woman, shifting impatiently and scanning the flood of faces while trying to maintain what Kenshin supposed was a pleasant smile. It didn't work.

She must be new, he thought. No experienced assassin would sport such a cross look. Most of them would smile and keep smiling as they dealt the fatal blow.

Surreptitiously, Kenshin checked his phone to see if there was a message from Sano indicating someone else was going to pick him up. No text or call from his friend, which meant this change in drivers was unplanned.

He didn't want to deal with this. He just wanted to go back home and sleep for the next eight hours, but he couldn't confront an assassin in front of all these innocent people. Someone could get hurt which was bad enough, but Misao would also complain for days over the mess she'd have to clean up afterwards.

So Kenshin hid a deep, resigned sigh, slid his phone into his jeans pocket, and pasted a smile on his face before he approached her.

She was quite pretty with long, straight black hair held back by a wide indigo headband. Her skin was smooth and held the hint of a healthy tan. No sign of makeup except for some lip gloss which enhanced her natural beauty. Large, dark blue eyes fixated on him as he approached. The sign hid most of her torso, but Kenshin noticed she was slim and had definable muscles exposed by the short sleeved white v-neck she wore. Jeans and slip-on sneakers completed the casual ensemble. The outfit wasn't one he would wear to an assassination attempt but that was probably her inexperience at play again.

She would regret wearing white.

"Himura Kenshin?" she asked when he stopped a few feet away. Her voice sounded sweet and melodic and she studied him as closely as he did her. But unlike his narrow-eyed scrutiny searching her body for hidden weapons, hers was more of an innocent perusal, lingering on his face and body like she was checking him out.

Or perhaps that was his exhaustion talking. Reminding himself to stay alert because it would be too embarrassing to be killed by a newbie, Kenshin said as cheerfully as he could, "That's me."

"I'm Kamiya Kaoru. I've been asked to be your replacement driver for tonight."

Forcing another smile, Kenshin nodded as if he was okay with this change of plans. She opened the door to the back of a Camry and let him slide inside before shutting it. A few seconds later, she entered the car herself and started it up.

A red Camry. Kenshin wondered what he ever did to try to be killed in such a boring car. Being a spy was not like the movies at all. At least the interior was clean and the new car smell still lingered in the air. But, he thought with a mocking twist of his lips, Kamiya Kaoru - if that was her real name - should have sprung for the leather seats because blood was a total pain to scrub out of fabric.

Well, it didn't matter, it wasn't his problem. Kenshin didn't bother with the seat belt so it would be easier to defend himself when the time came.

The woman started the car and glanced at him from the rearview mirror. "Where to?" she asked.

He thought for a moment before deciding on a location that was used to a little trouble and would look the other way if necessary. "Great Nippon Central Hotel." The place was actually an ill-disguised love hotel, renting rooms by the hour for couples needing privacy, or prostitutes with their clients. Most adults knew about it but pretended it wasn't what it was.

Her jaw actually dropped open and she maintained eye contact to see if he was serious. Kenshin didn't glance away in shame, looking utterly serious, and was fascinated to see that a slow but fierce red blossom across her cheeks. So she was a prudish assassin? He was a little tickled by the idea because it was so different from the usual professionals he dealt with. When she didn't move, he cleared his throat and asked mildly, "Is there a problem?"

His question snapped her attention back to the street. "N-no, not at all," she muttered and merged into traffic to join the flow of cars leaving Narita International Airport.

Kenshin grinned to himself for throwing her off balance so easily and settled back in the car. The gentle motion of the car would have lulled him to sleep, but the impending attempt of assassination kept him alert. He would have to make sure they were in a less crowded spot before neutralizing this threat to his safety.

Taking a moment to study the back of his adversary, Kenshin realized Kaoru's shoulders were slightly hunched, tension running through her slim shoulders. She kept glancing at him through the rearview mirror as if watching for any sudden movements on his end. Did she expect him to make the first move? Or was she afraid her cover was blown because of her reaction to his destination? He wasn't sure and decided to wait her out.

In the meantime, it was time to get some answers. So he casually asked, "What happened to Sano?"

The hesitation in the woman's body language was yet another indication of her amateur rank. She didn't even have a story ready for the absence of his usual driver. Did his enemies really think this novice could do what other, far more experienced assassins couldn't? "He's … indisposed of at the moment."

The informal code phrase for 'he's dead' brought a wave of sadness and outrage over Kenshin. He had actually liked the man who acted as his chauffeur, day or night, and never minded any danger. Such a waste of a vibrant life. And to think this woman took out a skilled brawler like him? Kenshin would have to remember not to underestimate her. "How unfortunate," he replied, a hard edge to his voice.

She glanced at him through the mirror again. "It's only temporary, I assure you."

Well, that was new. Since when was death temporary? Dismissing her words, Kenshin simply grunted in response and glanced out the window. Darkness had long extended its reach over the city, but the neon lights of the advertising boards, street lamps, traffic lights, and cars lit the area with a garish glow. Kenshin, having lived in Tokyo for all of his adult life, never noticed it anymore. But tonight, as he processed the untimely demise of the one man he could call a true friend, he needed the comforts of home.

Silence reigned in the car for the next twenty minutes. Kenshin realized they were getting closer to the love hotel, yet she hadn't made a suspicious move thus far. Was she actually going to wait until they were at their destination? Or maybe she thought she was going to be asked into a room with him and she would kill him there? Perhaps under different circumstances, he wouldn't have minded getting to know her better. But as an assassin who also managed to kill one of the few people whom he trusted and liked, Kenshin had no desire to get closer to her.

Deciding to get things moving along, he cleared his throat. "So, what else do you do when you're not picking up passengers from the airport?" He didn't expect her to say she was an assassin, but it would be the perfect opening to some cheesy action film for her to swing a gun at him and say "I'm a hired killer" before pulling the trigger.

Without even realizing it, he tensed as he waited for her to do just that, going so far as to lean forward to try to stop her arm from reaching back in his direction. But she must have been watching him in the mirror and taken the move as a threat because she grabbed something from the seat beside her.

The object came hurling at him with startling speed and Kenshin barely lifted his hands in time to block it from smashing into his face. A solid thud into his palm revealed it wasn't actually a gun, but it was long, smooth, and felt like no weapon he'd ever faced before. Wincing from the pain, he was never more glad for his preternatural speed than now because he surely would have been knocked unconscious from the blow.

Kenshin had criss-crossed his wrists in front of his face to protect it, and the weapon slapped into his right hand. Despite the stinging and throbbing, he closed his fingers over it and tried to yank it from her, whatever it was. It almost felt like a long stick.

But despite his hard tug, the assassin refused to let go of it. The car swerved a few times as they struggled to gain possession of the weapon, and Kenshin found himself being jerked back and forth by inertia. Maybe he should have put his seatbelt on after all. He glimpsed of Kaoru in the mirror just as she glanced at him. Her expression looked terrified but equally determined.

Terrified?

Honking erupted on both sides while the Camry skidded into other lanes, causing a cacophony of tires squealing, brake sounds, and the sound of metal scratching metal as cars hit each other. Amazingly, no one ran into them. There wasn't much traffic on the road given the late hour, but their tug of war seemed to affect every vehicle out there. Kenshin had to admire his would-be killer's skills: she wrestled with the steering wheel with her right while trying to tussle with him with her left. So perhaps she wasn't a novice after all. Maybe she was actually really a very good actress and pretended to be an amateur. Only the frightened glint in her blue eyes seemed to mismatch her cunning.

But Kenshin didn't have enough time to wonder on it any longer. Suddenly, Kaoru jerked the stick thing into him instead of trying to pull it away, catching him right at the tender juncture between his left shoulder and arm. Pain instantly blossomed and his grip slackened on the weapon long enough for her to snatch it back. One of the lights filtered into the swerving car and he realized it wasn't like a wooden stick, it actually _was_ a long wooden stick. A bokken, if he wasn't mistaken.

Maybe he was wrong again and she was a newbie after all. Who brought kendo equipment to kill someone?

His left shoulder was almost numb and useless at the moment, but Kenshin didn't think there was any permanent damage. They were in close quarters and that helped mitigate any extensive injuries. He lurched forward, grabbing her wrist with his right hand before Kaoru could hit him again with the bokken.

She squawked in fear and deliberately jerked the car to the left. Kenshin felt his fingers slip from her arm as he slammed into the door and cracked his head against the window. His vision swam for just a second but he blinked it away and lunged forward again, this time trying to bypass Kaoru to take control of the steering wheel.

"Stop!" she screamed, dropping the wooden sword while trying to elbow him back. One lucky hit caught him in the jaw and it dazed Kenshin enough to slump back, and Kaoru quickly spun the wheel to the right. Kenshin hit the other door and he groaned.

Kaoru was babbling something, but it came out fast and breathy so he couldn't understand her, especially with his head still ringing from the latest one-two combo he'd experienced. But Kenshin was no stranger to pain; after all, it was an occupational hazard and he'd been doing his job for a long time. All these little prods simply ignited his temper and the itch to teach this assassin and her employer a lesson on why Himura Kenshin was a man to be feared.

So he righted himself and attempted to grab the wheel again, this time literally diving through the open middle space so his torso and arms were in the front seating area. Kaoru screamed again as he gripped the wheel and spotted an exit from the highway coming up. Perfect.

He was gratified to realize that some feeling was beginning to return to his left arm so he switched to holding and steering for the exit while using his right hand to block the punches Kaoru rained on his head and arms. She was strong, he had to admit, and she didn't give up. Her wide eyes flickered between him and the road … and then she slammed her foot on the brake pedal.

Kenshin was ready for that move so he wasn't thrown forward and then back, as she probably expected. Instead, he braced himself against the headrest of the front seats. As soon as the car jerked to a halt, he moved his left hand to grasp both the passenger seat and the right hand on the driver's seat, lifted himself up, tucked his legs under him, and swung between the front chairs like a gymnast on a vault table. He landed right next to Kaoru. Part of his butt landed on the center console where the gear stick was, but that was all right; he wasn't expecting to have to shift out of drive at the moment.

Kaoru screamed again, and a small part of Kenshin's brain realized it had to be genuine terror because there was no actress in the world good enough to fake that level of fear. But his body automatically moved anyway, shoving her foot off the brake to get the car to start moving again.

In the distance, he heard sirens approaching. If he had the time, Kenshin would have sighed because the police meant more paperwork and lectures from Misao and less time to rest and relax before his next mission. But first, he had to survive this.

He attempted to floor the gas pedal but Kaoru must have gotten over her panic because she was now playing rough footsie with him in an attempt to keep the car at a standstill. For several long seconds, their legs tangled up and nothing happened except the constant honking behind them and the sound of sirens closing in on their location.

"Stop it, do you want to get caught by the cops?" Kenshin finally shouted when he couldn't out-maneuver her. He changed his mind again and decided his driver was the worst novice killer-for-hire he had ever met in his life.

"Wha-what?" she stuttered.

That moment of hesitation proved to be her downfall. With a triumphant shout, Kenshin managed to win the leg battle and slammed on the gas pedal. The Camry's tires squealed in dismay and jumped forward before careening down the juncture.

He recognized the area as a residential section which included a small shopping center some distance away from the exit. The speedometer showed an excess of one hundred twenty kilometers, eating up road in mere seconds. Spying the oncoming entrance, Kenshin jerked the car into the empty parking lot. He noticed with grim satisfaction the strip was closed and bathed in darkness at this late hour, though there were a few working emergency lights emitting a smoky orange glow. The sharp turn and excessive speed nearly caused the car to teeter on one side, but it righted itself. Kenshin drove towards the back of the lot where there was less lighting, absurdly glad that the deep red color of the car would help cover them in the darkness. The sirens continued to draw closer but he stepped on the brakes and reached over to shut off the lights so they blended into the shadows. No one would see them unless they actually came into the area and did a sweep.

Neither of them moved for a moment as they caught their breaths. Kenshin felt Kaoru's chest heave against his back but at least she subsided in screaming in his ear. Her right hand gripped the steering wheel but he had easily overpowered her desperate attempts to regain control. The other hand rested on his shoulder, as if she had tried to shove him away to no avail.

Or she tried to shove him off of her, Kenshin realized, because he was half sitting in her lap. But his heavier weight prevented her from moving too much, which was apparently why she couldn't do anything while he drove helter-skelter off the highway. Even his legs pressed down on hers so she was trapped.

As his breathing evened out, Kenshin realized just how warm and soft she was. At the same time, he silently acknowledged her strength and resilience; most people couldn't keep up with him in a physical battle.

But things could get uncomfortable - and awkward - fast, so it was time to finish this confrontation. Kenshin gingerly lifted his body up so he could move the gear into park and let go of the brake. Kaoru stiffened under his movements but said nothing.

She was probably looking for a way out of this mess, he guessed. But he had won and she was going to have to accept that fact. She'd be interrogated for information on her employer who hired the hit on him and then sent to a maximum security prison, probably for the rest of her life.

He turned his head to look at her and she gazed back. Even in the darkness, Kenshin saw the fear was back in her eyes, but there was something else there.

Recognizing it too late as the instinct for survival, he yelped as she swung her left elbow into his face. He managed to duck fast enough to avoid getting pummeled, but apparently that was a feint because her right hand shot across his body and snatched up something on the passenger seat. The sudden move almost upended Kenshin from her lap and their limbs became entangled as they fought once again over the bokken.

With her abrupt movements, Kenshin found himself contorted in ways his body did _not_ approve of. Somehow, Kaoru managed to wriggle out from under him and opened the door, half falling out onto the ground. But she didn't pause for a second, scrambling up to her feet and bursting into a sprint towards one of the light poles, the wooden weapon in hand. A gleam of blue caught his eye and Kenshin realized it was one of those emergency boxes to contact the police.

Cursing, Kenshin untwisted himself and jumped out of the car to chase the woman down. Apparently she thought the police was a better option than him. And, at the moment, she would be right. He was ready to shake her until her bones wouldn't stop rattling. This entire day had been nothing but trouble and all he really wanted to do was sleep. Why was nothing ever easy?

He put on a burst of speed and was quickly closing the distance between them when she glanced back. In that instant, she must have realized she wouldn't make it because she whirled around and held the bokken in front of her as if she knew how to use it.

"Stay away!" she yelled, the terror in her voice evident. "Keep back or I'll turn your brain into mush!"

Kenshin skidded to a stop and eyed her stance, finding it to be flawless. But he still wouldn't have picked a stupid wooden sword to bring along to an assassination attempt. It was too bad he didn't have his gun on him; with the airport security and his secretive status, he never brought firearms on flights and instead relied on Misao's men to provide him with the necessary weapons wherever he went. He just didn't think he would need one on a simple car ride home.

"You've failed," he told her crisply. "You might as well give up now."

"Failed? I'm armed and you're not," Kaoru snapped. "I wouldn't call that a failure."

He took a step forward which she matched by inching backwards. "It's a stick," he said dismissively. "Not exactly the choice weapon of an assassin. At least tell me you've got a knife or something else on you."

The street lamp illuminated her eyes now filled with bewilderment. "What? Choice weapon of an assassin? You really are crazy, aren't you?"

Kenshin scrutinized her face carefully, looking for any signs that this was all an act. He was flummoxed by her words and behavior. From the beginning, he had pegged her as an amateur which would hardly make sense since his enemies knew he wouldn't fall for any simple tricks. But then he thought she was a fantastic actress, playing an innocent woman. He had changed his mind again, seeing her actions and reactions. But…

What if Kaoru actually _was_ an innocent woman? What if she wasn't an assassin sent to kill him after all? She was strong and obstinate and not a quitter, but those weren't necessarily just characteristics of spies and killers-for-hire. Normal, non-assassin people were like that too.

But what about Sano? She had said he was 'indisposed of'. Of course, in the not-secret-organization world, it could mean he was drunk or stoned or otherwise just not available.

As he stood there, trying to work it out, Kaoru eased backwards, freezing only when his eyes flickered back in her direction. "I'm going to call the police, and we can discuss what to do," she said in a soothing tone with another cautious slide in reverse. "You'll be just fine. They'll find a good place for you and get you the help you need."

Kenshin snorted back laughter. So she actually thought he was the crazy one?

And maybe he was, he realized the next moment. Maybe he needed a break or a vacation. Definitely some sleep. Because he was sure he wouldn't have overreacted this way if he was well-rested.

His phone vibrated in his pocket just then and he pulled it out, ignoring the tension in Kaoru's shoulders at his movements. Kenshin's eyes widened as he read the caller ID. "Don't move," he ordered the woman in front of him, and accepted the call without waiting for her to answer. She huffed in response to his imperious tone but apparently decided discretion was the better part of valor.

Smart lady. But Kenshin kept his eyes on her anyway as he spoke into the phone. "Hello?"

"Kenshin, my man! I'm sorry, I meant to text you earlier about not being able to pick you up, but I fell asleep. You're probably already home now, right? How was your flight? How was Singapore?"

It _sounded_ like Sano, and his caller seemed to act like Sano. But Kenshin decided a little test was in order. "It was fine. Sano, when we met for the first time, what was I wearing?"

"What?"

The confusion sounded genuine too, but Kenshin didn't have time to play explain everything because Kaoru looked like she was starting to second-guess not moving. "Just answer the question," he answered brusquely.

"Wow, touchy. Sorry. The first time we met, you were wearing a pair of ridiculous Bermuda shorts with baby sharks on them and a white tank under a green Tommy Bahama shirt. You were trying to look like a tourist but you forgot that it was winter time in Japan."

That answer reassured him like nothing else. Sano had made fun of his outfit and abnormal mistake for weeks after that. Kenshin exhaled slowly and eyed Kaoru. "Did you send someone else to pick me up?"

"Of course I did! I'm not that irresponsible, you know." Sano sounded offended. "Didn't Jou-chan - I mean Kaoru - pick you up?"

"Yes. But I wasn't expecting her."

There was a long pause on the other line while Sano digested that bit of information. Kenshin winced as he waited and then his friend asked slowly, in a dangerous tone, "Kenshin, did you hurt Jou-chan? Did you ... did you _kill_ her?!"

"No!" he snapped. "Of course not! But er, we might have gotten into a little tussle. Or something."

"WHAT? Kenshin, what the hell? Let me talk to her!"

Kenshin held the phone out to Kaoru. "It's Sano." She eyed him warily and didn't move, though her eyes darted to the phone like her salvation rested on the device. He wiggled it, as if to entice her. "Please take it. He wants to make sure you're okay. And he can tell you that I'm not crazy."

Kaoru didn't look like she believed him at all, but they both heard Sano's voice hollering on the line, loud even without the benefit of speakerphone.

Kenshin sighed as Sano confirmed his suspicions with panic. This was a terrible misunderstanding and it was all his fault. He desperately needed to sleep. Eight hours was no longer enough. Maybe twenty four would be more accurate. Because he had almost killed a civilian. A Japanese civilian, someone whom he'd sworn to protect when he first took his job as a government agent.

Since Kaoru didn't seem inclined to move closer to him, Kenshin wearily clicked on the speakerphone button and Sano's voice boomed out. "-and if he did anything, it was all just a mistake, Jou-chan. Okay? So just tell me you're not hurt and we'll figure this out."

"Sano, Sano," Kaoru finally called out. She lowered the bokken even further, but her gaze never left Kenshin, distrust still evident in every inch of her body. "I'm fine. But I'm still going to strangle you. You said it was just a simple pick up and drop off for a friend!"

"It was!" he protested. "I've never had a problem before. Trust you to complicate things. What happened anyway?"

Kaoru glared at Kenshin. "Yeah, what happened?"

He ignored her question for a moment. "Why weren't you able to pick me up, Sano?" he asked.

"I told you, he's just indisposed at the moment," Kaoru said indignantly.

"You told him that?" Sano said in disbelief. He had hung around Kenshin enough to know what that really meant. "No wonder you went all bonkers, Kenshin! Sorry about that, man. Jou-chan was just trying to protect me." He sighed and didn't speak for a few seconds. "I fell earlier today and uh, I hurt myself. I'm actually at the hospital right now, and I won't be released until tomorrow."

Kenshin knew Sano wasn't telling the whole story, but it seemed more like an embarrassing moment than a calculated one. "Well, I'm glad to know you're okay."

"Yeah. Look, I'm sorry. I guess it was really my fault. I should have texted you saying that Jou-chan agreed to take my place, and it was last minute. But the drugs they've got me on made me sleepy and when I woke up, I saw the time. No messages from either of you, so I assumed everything went smoothly."

The contrite tone lessened some of Kenshin's exasperation. "It's fine. Just please reassure Kamiya-san that I'm not a crazy murderer, and then go back to sleep. We'll work it out from here."

"Kenshin isn't crazy, Jou-chan," Sano said, unusually somber. "He's one of the best guys I know. You can trust him."

"But can I trust you?" Kaoru retorted, though there was affection in her tone that was hard to disguise. She lowered her bokken completely and relaxed her grip on it. "Do what Himura-san says and go to sleep, Sano. I'll see you tomorrow when I pick you up from the hospital."

Sano sighed. "Okay. Good night, guys."

Kenshin disconnected the call and slipped the phone back into his pocket. They stared at each other, ten feet apart, and awkward silence filled the space between them. In an attempt to break the ice, he gestured to her hands and ask, "Why did you bring a bokken with you?"

She quirked a brow at him. "If you're a woman asked to pick up a stranger all by herself at eleven o'clock at night, wouldn't you be a little nervous too? Even if Sano says you're a nice guy."

Kenshin conceded that point with a nod. He stood there in silence, trying to think of something else to say that would alleviate the uneasy tension. As he opened his mouth to say something inane, Kaoru surprised him by speaking first.

"Come on, I'll drive you home."

He blink. "What?" Exhaustion must have been clouding his mind because that was the only thing he could think of to say. Kaoru started striding back to the car, passing him and leaving behind the faintest scent of something floral.

"Come on," she repeated. "You only pay the driver when you get to your destination, right? Sano begged me to pick you up because he needed the money, even though he promised half of it to me. So let me take you to the er, hotel."

Despite the tiredness and guilt weighing on his shoulders, Kenshin actually felt himself blushing. "Um, there's no need to take me there. How about just the closest subway stop? It's probably better if we part ways as soon as possible."

She glanced over her shoulder, blue eyes assessing him critically. "Afraid of telling me where you live?" she guessed.

Kenshin shrugged, not bothering to explain he was more embarrassed and ashamed than worried about sharing personal information. He moved apartments on a regular basis anyway. "Occupational hazard."

"Ah." Kaoru considered that for a moment before coming to a decision. "All right, I'll take you to the next station. But I get to ask you a few questions on the way there."

He wouldn't be able to tell her much, but it was the least he owed her for his misunderstanding. Nodding his assent, they got back into the car: Kaoru in the driver's seat and Kenshin in the back again. She started the car and shifted into drive before leaving the shopping mall.

The sirens had long since died down, and even fewer cars roamed the streets at this late hour. Kaoru merged onto the highway and settled on a moderate speed before she looked at her mirror to meet his gaze. "So you really thought I was an assassin?"

He nodded. "I wasn't expecting you, and when you said Sano was 'indisposed', I assumed you had killed him to take his place as my driver."

Kaoru didn't say anything for a few seconds before commenting, "That's some jump to conclusion."

Kenshin wanted to defend himself, but he just didn't have the energy. And truly, he had no excuse for his behavior. Saying his mistake was due to exhaustion would make him sound like more of an incompetent idiot than his actions already showed. He settled for a grunt instead.

"Can you tell me your job?"

"No."

"Okay. Does Sano know what you do for a living?"

"A little."

"I see."

From their brief acquaintance, Kenshin already knew Kaoru was intelligent enough to put two-and-two together. He sighed again, inwardly groaning at the fact that he'd have to tell Misao of his compromised state. "You know, you're taking my er, actions rather well."

"Hah, that's probably the adrenaline. Tomorrow, I'll be furious and take it out on poor Sano."

"Ah." Kenshin thought he should feel bad about that, but he was just relieved he wouldn't have to deal with her anger. The guilt was bad enough and it would take a while for the sting of it to fade from the forefront of his mind.

They sat in silence for a while. Kenshin watched the world whiz by in a flurry of artificial lights outside the window, shoulders slumped. Then her next question surprised him. "So, what _is_ the recommended choice of weapon for an assassin?"

He darted a look at Kaoru, baffled. She grinned at him from the mirror, and Kenshin was touched to realize she'd seen his guilt and wanted to lessen the burden on him. That, or she actually did want to know. "Why, are you thinking of going into the business?" he teased back.

"Oh, no," she answered hastily. "This was far too much of an adventure for me. I'd rather stick with my own job, thanks very much."

"Which is?"

"Hey! This is my time to ask questions and you answer them!" Kaoru shot back sternly, though she softened it with a grin. "How long have you known Sano? He's never told me about you."

Kenshin nodded, leaning back to rest his head against the seat. "I guess it's been about two years now. I'm not around enough to justify having a car so he's been my regular driver in the city ever since we've met. As for not mentioning me, I asked him not to. He knows I'm a very private person."

"Yeah, I guess you'd have to be. With what you being a secret agent and all," she commented in a far-too casual tone. But her eyes remained on him to gauge his reaction.

He was ready for the comment so he didn't flinch. "I don't know what you're talking about," Kenshin said blandly. "I wasn't going to tell you this, but I suppose it's only fair I explain a little. I'm just a salesman working for Nikon, showcasing our products to different countries. I always need to be on the alert for any corporate espionage."

"Uh huh, and I'm the President of Sony," Kaoru replied skeptically.

"The President of Sony drives a mid-trim level Camry?"

"Hey! No insulting my car!"

He grinned, but then the amusement faded. It was time to own up to his mistakes, no matter that Kaoru was trying to make him feel better. "I'm sorry for what happened. I have no excuse for jumping to conclusions like that. If there's any damage to your car, you can tell Sano and I'll make sure it's fixed for free. And don't worry, I'll have the camera images of the drive erased as well."

Kaoru looked impressed. "You can do that?"

"Sure. I work for Nikon, don't I?"

She snorted as she pulled up to the curb. Just ahead was the subway stop, the lights beckoning to him as one step closer to home. "Are you sure you don't want me to take you directly to your place?" she asked, still staring at him through the mirror. "You look really tired. And I promise, I'm not an assassin."

"I'm fine, thank you. I'll have the ride fare deposited to your bank account. You deserve it." Without waiting for a response, he grabbed his carry-on bag and opened the door. "Thank you, Kamiya-san. Sorry again for all the trouble. I hope you get home safely."

And before she could say anything else, he hopped out and shut the door, making a beeline for the subway entrance. This day just needed to be over. He would suffer the embarrassment of his terrible mistake _after_ getting some sleep.

* * *

Much to Kenshin's dismay, he slept for five measly hours before being called for an emergency mission to Russia. He didn't have time to do anything more than repack his bags and text Sano that he was going out of town again with the hope the Rooster Head would feel better enough to pick him up when he returned home.

He took took a taxi to the airport. It was much safer that way.

* * *

A month and two operations later, Kenshin arrived back at Narita International Airport on the eight pm flight. As he headed towards the exit doors with his carry-on bag in hand, he checked his phone and saw a message from Sano.

_I'm here at my usual spot_

Relief suffused him. Ever since his debacle with Kaoru and being thoroughly chewed out by Misao via encrypted email for the ruckus they'd caused on the road (he deleted it without reading it), Kenshin was doubly cautious about everyone he interacted with, mission or no mission. The paranoia of almost hurting an innocent person rode him hard. Killing was a part of the job, but it was justified only if they were enemies of Japan.

He also told Misao this was his last job for a while; he was going on vacation far, far away and take a well-deserved break.

But when Kenshin headed outside, he saw a woman holding up the sign with his name on it. His steps faltered and then stopped completely. Kamiya Kaoru watched him from above the paper. She was trying to smile again like the first time they had met, but it looked more like a dangerous scowl than anything friendly.

Kenshin glanced around for Sano but didn't see the tall man anywhere. With a sigh, he dragged his feet over to Kaoru. "Sano texted me."

"I know."

"Then what are you doing here?"

She stared at him for a moment before turning to open the back door without a word. Kenshin debated whether it was cowardly to run away, but the glint of his driver's velvet blue eyes told him he'd probably regret it. He slid inside the car and she shut it behind him.

Waiting until Kaoru got in herself and started the car, he asked again, "What's going on?"

With the ease of a race car driver, she merged into heavy traffic and headed towards the city. "I'm here," she said curtly, "because Sano told me it was at least partly my fault for causing our, er, last meeting to go so badly."

Kenshin frowned. "How so?"

"Well, for one, he had told me to repeat his exact words that he hurt himself and was getting treatment. He explained that, in your crazy world, 'indisposed' means dead." Kaoru's voice, while cordial enough, held an edge of something ugly, like she wasn't pleased with having to say or do this. "He said if I had followed his directions perfectly, we wouldn't have had the encounter we had."

Kenshin considered that for a moment. He was grateful for Sano's loyalty, but he had to be fair. After all, he was supposed to be the professional spy, able to tell the difference between friend and foe. "I'm afraid that's not true," he said at last. "I was exhausted and jumped to conclusions without thinking things through. It's true that your words helped cement my paranoia, but it didn't form them. And, if anything, it was Sano's fault for not texting me as soon as he could have."

Finally, Kaoru's eyes met him in the mirror. "Exactly what I said!" she cried as if vindicated. "I told him all I did was answer your questions and drive you wherever you wanted to go. How was I supposed to know anything about code words and assassins and stuff?"

"You couldn't have at all," he assured her. "But … it seems as though you felt guilty anyway, seeing as you picked me up."

Frowning, she swung her gaze back to the road. "Sano wasn't kidding when he said you're like a freaking mind reader." Kaoru exhaled slowly before continuing. "Sorry about the fight and the hits to your head. I hope you weren't hurt too badly."

"I have a hard head," Kenshin said with a wry chuckle. "It's probably the reason for the longevity of my career." He leaned back in the seat, glancing at the blur of street lamps passing by. "Do you have kendo training? You were holding the bokken like you knew how to use it."

"Yep. Family style."

"Kamiya Kasshin Ryu, is it?" he murmured.

Kaoru snapped her eyes to the mirror again so he could see her glower at him. "And how would you know that?"

"Kamiya-san, do you really think that I wouldn't do a thorough background check on you after our encounter?" Kenshin asked in a reasonable tone. "Not to mention my superior is extremely nosy and wanted to know who almost bested me in a closed quarter fight."

He saw her grin at the acknowledgment of her skills but then her expression reverted back to a scowl. "Isn't that an invasion of privacy?" Kaoru protested. "I have rights, you know!"

"It's just a background check. Anyone can pay someone to run your name through the usual systems. By the way, your credit score is amazing. You must have gotten a good price on this car." He patted the seat.

Kaoru opened her mouth, then shut it abruptly. Then, to Kenshin's surprise, she started to laugh. Her entire body relaxed for the first time in his presence and her grip on the steering wheel slackened. "Thanks, I worked hard for it. Look, can we start over? Sano said you're a good guy and he doesn't say that about just anyone. You also pay _very_ well, even though it's a bit disturbing you knew my bank information without asking me for it. If I didn't care the Rooster Head actually found some decent employment, I'd try to steal this job from him."

Kenshin found himself smiling. This wasn't what he expected at all. It was a nice change of pace to make a new friend and not another foe on his long list of enemies who wanted him dead. And it was even nicer that she unofficially knew his occupation so he didn't have to hide it as he normally did with civilian. "I'd like that, Kamiya-san."

"I think we're way beyond formality. Call me Kaoru."

"And I'm Kenshin."

She grinned at him. "Okay, Kenshin, where to? Your secret lair? The subway station? Great Nippon Central Hotel?"

He chuckled at her teasing words about the latter location. From impulse, he suggested, "How about some coffee? Your favorite cafe is only a block away from a subway station. I understand you're an aficionado and the least I can do is treat you."

Kaoru eyed him in the mirror again but she seemed more exasperated this time. "It's a little disconcerting to realize you know more about me than I do about you. And don't tell me you picked up my favorite places from some credit report, either."

How many times had he grinned in the past ten minutes of conversing with her? Far more than he had in the past year, at least. Kenshin hadn't realized until now how much he distanced himself from people because of the necessity of secrecy about his job. But he didn't need to do that with Kaoru since she already guessed his occupation. He couldn't tell her anything, of course, but at least he didn't have to hide the reason why he traveled so much or why he sometimes came home injured. He could just be himself for the duration of the car ride.

Even more amazing, Kaoru seemed to accept the situation as easily as Sano had. And Kenshin liked that he was comfortable talking with her. Not everyone would be willing to accept his apology and offer one in return for his mistakes. "Oh, no," he assured her with a straight face. "That information was in your secret file we have of every Japanese citizen."

"I … don't know whether you're joking or not," Kaoru replied after a long pause. "But all right, I'd never turn down coffee."

"Joke," he assured her and smirked at the dubious look she cast him. Satisfied with how this was all working out, Kenshin leaned back in his seat to relax. Maybe he didn't have to leave the country to unwind. Maybe, for the first time in forever, he could simply hang out with friends like a normal person.

He owed the Triad for this one.

* * *

_AN: __I promise Defender will be updated soon! I was close to posting it, realized there was a huge plot hole, started re-writing it, realized I didn't need to scrap everything, fixed it up, and then went back to re-editing. The editing part is the worst since I tend to get in my own head and start to doubt everything. Since my beta is currently unavailable, if anyone is willing to jump in and keep me from going crazy overthinking things, please send me a PM._

_Updated story schedule in my profile. _


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